Chapter 2

Water potions flow from our water purifier - Chapter 003

1. There's something wrong with my purifier (2)

“……?”

Am I seeing things? I poured the water into the sink and took another cup.

“What is this? Why is it like this?”

Even after rubbing my eyes and looking again, red water came out once more.

“Is it rust?”

Thinking that, the water I drank yesterday really started to feel like skeleton water.

I drank such bright red water?

‘Gross. Sweet? What a lunatic. How could I think that after drinking something like that?’

I must have been completely out of my mind.

Just in case, I tried the hot water from the left side.

Then something strange happened.

“What? This is blue? Haha. I must be going crazy. Really.”

Red and blue water comes out of the purifier.

It’s not like some elementary school bathroom ghost story.

Sniff, sniff.

“…The smell doesn’t seem off, though.”

I smelled both the red and blue water.

I expected a rusty smell, but there was none.

It sounds crazy, but it has a slightly sweet smell.

“Sweet? I must be the one who’s crazy.”

Honestly, I’m a bit conflicted.

…Since it smells good, maybe it’s safe to drink. I’m thirsty, after all.

‘It’s absurd, but…’

For some reason, the water looked very delicious.

So, I took a tiny sip.

Just enough to wet my lips.

Since it didn’t taste strange, I ended up swallowing it all at once.

“It’s just the color. It’s just normal water, right? …It kind of tastes like strawberries, too.”

Just in case, I tried the blue water as well.

It was supposed to be hot water, but it wasn’t hot.

Maybe it’s broken because it’s old.

“This isn’t strange either. …Does this taste like blueberries? Am I really crazy?”

What a strange thing.

I went to the bathroom to wash up.

I was worried it might be the same there, but fortunately, normal water came out of the shower.

“I should call a repairman.”

Even though I only drank two cups, I should get it fixed quickly since it’s my daily drinking water.

I went out to look for a part-time job.

As I retraced the path I took yesterday, I found something.

“I found it.”

There was a small-sized medicine bottle in the corner.

I almost died yesterday because I didn’t have this.

Looking inside, there was barely any left.

It’s a strong painkiller that’s hard to get and can be harmful to the body.

“I should visit tomorrow.”

Muttering that, I turned on my phone and called the number labeled ‘Urgent’.

* * *

A part-time job distributing flyers in the city.

It’s only 4 hours, and it’s not too strenuous, so I thought I could handle it.

In fact, I felt full of energy while handing out flyers.

‘I’m overflowing with energy!’

I didn’t eat anything special, yet I’m overflowing with energy.

When was the last time I felt this energetic?

I can’t even remember.

“Wow…”

“Young man, you’re really good at handing out flyers, really!”

The auntie who was handing out flyers with me patted my back and laughed.

It’s not that it’s not tiring.

But since I know what it’s like to be ‘on the brink of death,’ this level of pain is almost welcome.

Time passed, and the part-time job ended.

I checked my body to see if anything was wrong, but...

My body was actually emitting heat, as if it was disappointed.

‘Maybe I can keep this up.’

A natural smile spread across my face.

I wish every day could be like today.

If I could, I wouldn’t have to worry about my body.

Only after I got home did I realize I hadn’t taken a single painkiller all day.

I used to take a few regularly every day...

“That’s strange.”

People and animals who are sick often seem healthy the day before they die.

“…Could it be the same for me?”

I should visit the hospital tomorrow to get a diagnosis while I’m at it.

I had a simple meal of convenience store rice rolls and drank water.

“Still red.”

The water from the purifier was still colorful.

I drank it once, so I can’t drink it again, right?

I downed the purifier water in one go and went to sleep.

* * *

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

At the hospital, I heard shocking news from the doctor.

It wasn’t that my stone disease had worsened and I had little time left.

“Just as I said. The disease that was eating away at Mr. Seojin’s body has somewhat improved.”

It was the opposite.

My disease is weakening.

“Is it possible for a disease to suddenly be cured like this?”

“It’s rare, but it does happen. There are cases where patients diagnosed with terminal cancer recover after convalescing in the countryside. However...”

Cancer is no longer an incurable disease for humans.

But stone disease is different.

A rare disease that appeared with the emergence of monsters.

A magic stone that grows near the heart gradually pollutes the body with magic.

An incurable disease.

The only way to alleviate the symptoms is...

“I can’t believe it...”

The doctor seemed to have the same thought.

“Did you happen to take a potion?”

“Haha... No, I can’t afford that.”

“If not, it’s truly a miracle. Still, you should get regular check-ups in case the symptoms suddenly worsen.”

“Yes, thank you very much!”

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s all thanks to your strong will.”

On my way out of the hospital, the receptionist at the counter smiled and gave me a prescription.

A milder painkiller, as per the doctor’s advice.

Clear evidence that the symptoms of my stone disease had decreased.

“This can’t be a dream.”

How could I have the chance to drink a potion?

Potions cost millions of won.

Moreover, I can’t even get a high-quality potion that can alleviate stone disease.

Was there any special factor that could have cured my disease?

After some thought, I remembered the peculiar water from the purifier.

“...Could it be?”

I’ve heard that potions that restore the body are red.

I’ve also heard that potions that restore mana are blue.

And the water from our purifier is red and blue.

“Nah, it can’t be.”

Even though I said that, my body was moving faster than ever to get home.

The purifier can’t run away on its own, but in my haste, I was drenched in sweat.

“Phew...”

I arrived home.

I immediately took a cup of water from the purifier.

The cold water still came out red.

I watched it for a moment.

Glug.

I swallowed the water.

“Hmm...”

...Honestly, I don’t know.

I would have to try a real potion to know.

So, I decided to conduct an experiment.

Anyone who saw this would think I was crazy.

“Ouch...”

I aimed a knife at my palm.

And swish!

“Ouch... It stings.”

Blood flowed from my palm.

I’ve heard that potions heal wounds on the body.

If this water is really the potion I know...

“...!”

As soon as I drank the water, the wound on my palm started to heal quickly.

I noticed it late, but even after running here, my breathing was abnormally normal.

“Is this really a potion?”

Then the blue water next to it must be a mana potion.

“Haha...”

How can such a thing happen in this world?

Potions coming out of a cheap purifier?

After all, the water from a purifier is just filtered tap water.

If potions came out of purifiers, they would be flowing from every purifier in Korea.

“If that were the case, the world wouldn’t be this quiet.”

This purifier was something I brought from my old house after my parents passed away.

The house was sold, but the furniture with memories was moved here during the move.

“...But it wasn’t anything special.”

It was just a regular appliance bought from any household.

Just in case it might stop, I started filling a 1.5-liter PET bottle with water.

The purifier kept spewing red water without stopping.

After filling about three bottles, the amount of water coming out started to decrease.

I stopped there.

I didn’t want to overuse it and break it.

“...This should be enough, right?”

Looking at the three PET bottles filled with health potions, an idea came to mind.

If my parents had money, they might still be alive.

If I had money, I might have lived a life similar to my peers.

Reflecting on my short life, money was always the problem.

If that’s the case, there’s only one thing to do with this potion.

Drink some for my treatment.

And the rest...

“I’ll sell it.”